Newmarket Celtic’s Eoin Hayes has been named as the 2018 FAI Junior International Player of the Year.
Hayes follows in the footsteps of Stephen Kelly to become the second Newmarket Celtic player to win the accolade in three years. The duo were first selected together on the Irish regions cup squad in 2016 and haven’t looked back since. In May, he was sprung from the bench to net two goals in a May friendly against England to turn the game and secure a 4-2 win.
During the UEFA Regions Cup in September, he played the full 90 minutes in Ireland’s three games. While Kelly would score their only goal in their 2-1 loss to Buzau (Romania), Eoin would pop up with an assist in their 1-1 draw with Slovakia.
A two time Oscar Traynor medallist, Hayes is the only Clareman to have scored in two finals of the competition. While David McCarthy would score four out of five goals in the 2016 decider, Eoin also contributed on the scoresheet and he netted the decisive goal in the 2017 1-0 win over Inishowen to secure a second title under Donie Garrihy.
At club level, the St Anne’s Killaloe teacher has been an ever present in the Newmarket Celtic A team since he became eligible for the adult grade. He has been a starter in all of their seven back to back Clare Cup successes and has been to the fore as the club challenges for provincial and national honours. Liam Murphy’s charges face Pike Rovers in the upcoming Munster Junior Cup semi-final.
Despite an ever growing collection of medals on the football field, Eoin is also the proud holder of an All-Ireland U21 hurling medal having come on as a sub in Clare’s 2009 success over Kilkenny. He also lined out at midfield for Newmarket-on-Fergus as they bridged a 31 year gap when winning the Clare senior hurling championship in 2012.
Eoin Hayes becomes the second @NewmarketCeltic player in three years to be named @FAIreland Junior Intl of the Year. Outstanding achievement.
— Paudie McMahon (@thepmanofficial) March 17, 2019
Congrats @Hayzo10 on @FAIreland junior international of year…. class?, keeping pace with Kells achievements
— colin ryan (@Ryan5C) March 17, 2019
Delighted for @Hayzo10 and @NewmarketCeltic ! Great achievement and well deserved ??⚽️?⚪️ how good would you be if u could actually finish ?
— kierandevitt (@kierandevitt) March 17, 2019
Congrats to @Hayzo10 on winning FAI junior international player of the year award. Top guy and we are very proud of him. pic.twitter.com/eIxyzOspzh
— Liam Murphy (@liammurphynof) March 17, 2019
Congratulations to Eoin Hayes – the @FAIreland Junior International Player of the Year! ?⚪️⚽️?? pic.twitter.com/Xy3XyP0fnu
— Newmarket Celtic FC (@NewmarketCeltic) March 17, 2019
